Google introduced Android 4.0 in October, choosing the Galaxy Nexus smartphone to demonstrate the improved user experience and new feature set. Relatively few devices have seen the software upgrade since then, however, and new devices have only recently begun to ship with the software in the past few months. The eight models of the Galaxy Tab slated for the update include both the Wi-Fi and 3G versions of the Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, Tab 7.7, Tab 8.9 and Tab 10.1.

After this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in January, I imported the Galaxy Tab 7.7 with Wi-Fi and as much as the hardware impresses, the software has let me down a little. The tablet launched with Android 3.2, which I find inferior to Android 4.0 on my Galaxy Nexus and other new phones and tablets. I’m looking forward to seeing the improvements after the software upgrade, which make Android easier to navigate and use.

If history is a good predictor, all of the upgraded tablets will still rely on Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface; other upgraded devices from Samsung have hidden Android 4.0 with TouchWiz. That’s to be expected, but I’m wondering what, if any, of Samsung’s new features found on the Galaxy S III might be included as well. The company’s newest smartphone is packed with software and sharing features that could greatly improve the Galaxy Tab experience.